Jimmy Lithgow delves into the pedigree of July Stakes hero, Strategic Prince.

The winner of a maiden at Salisbury on 18 May, and then fifth to Dutch Art in the Group Two Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot on 22 June, Strategic Prince (Dansili) showed himself to be a colt on the upgrade when winning the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket on 13 July.

Held up for a run, the Paul Cole inmate, racing in the colours of H.R.H. Sultan Ahmad Shah, asserted himself in the final furlong, passing five rivals on the wide outside, to beat 50-1 shot Armigerent (In The Wings) and Dubai's Touch (Dr Fong), both trained by Mark Johnston. In doing so, he established himself as an undoubted Classic contender for next year, being likely to improve even further as he gets more ground.

Bred in England by the Ausherra Partnership, which is named after Strategic Prince's dam, Ausherra (Diesis), the colt clearly relished the sixth furlong of the July Stakes given that his sire, Dansili (Danehill), was one of the top milers of his generation and that his dam was effective over a mile and a half and has produced the useful stayer Yorkshire (Generous).

Strategic Prince's sire, who stands at Juddmonte Farms' Banstead Manor Stud, came to the fore as an early three-year-old, when running a close-up second to multiple Group race winner, Sendawar (Priolo) in the French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp in 1999. He subsequently won the Group Three Prix Messidor, beating Kabool (Groom Dancer) by four lengths and then finished third, beaten three and a half lengths, by no less a horse than Dubai Millennium in the Group One Prix Jacques le Marois over a mile at Deauville.

An impressive career

As a four-year-old, Dansili captured the Group Three Prix Edmond Blanc, before easily winning the Group Two Prix De Muguet at Saint Cloud. In June of 2000, he was beaten only half a length by Kalanisi (Doyoun) in the then Group Two Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, before running the indefatigable Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat) to three quarters of a length in the Group One Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

His last two races saw him finish second to Indian Lodge (Grand Lodge) in the Group One Prix De La Foret over seven furlongs at Longchamp in October of 2000, before travelling to Churchill Downs a couple of weeks later to contest the Breeders' Cup Mile. In a desperate finish, he was just touched off by War Chant (Danzig) and North East Bound (D'Accord).

On reflection, Dansili was thwarted in his bid to achieve champion status by some outstanding horses, most notably Sendawar, Kalanisi and Giant's Causeway, but he was never far behind the best of them and, with his pedigree, it's not surprising that he's emerging as a sire of note.

The best broodmare in the world?

His dam, Hasili (Kahyasi), won four races as a two-year-old, including a Listed race at Nantes in France, and now has the distinction of having produced four Group or Grade One winners from her first five foals, with Dansili being the only one not to have been successful at this level.

Arguably, Hasili could be the best broodmare in the world. Dansili was her first foal, followed by his full-sister Banks Hill, who won the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot as well as the Group One Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Belmont Park.

Heat Haze (Green Desert), a three-parts sister to the pair, won twice at Group One level in the US, whilst Intercontinental (also by Danehill) emulated Banks Hill by winning last year's running of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare.

Most recently, Cacique, another full sibling to Dansili and Banks Hill, captured the Group One Manhattan Handicap at Belmont after winning a Group Two race for Andre Fabre in France.

Hasili's dam Kerali (High Line) won a solitary race for trainer Jeremy Tree, but was herself a daughter of the 1977 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Sookera (Roberto) who raced in the colours of the late Robert Sangster. Sangster and his Coolmore cohorts sold Sookera to Khalid Abdullah some 25 years ago, a move that was probably rued later, but they were fortunate in being able to outgun John Messara and his Arrowfield partners in the battle to acquire the great Danehill, back in 1995.

Stoute damline

But, returning to Strategic Prince and, in particular, his maternal ancestry, his damline is free of Northern Dancer, though his grandam, Princess Of Man (Green God) is descended from Nearco via Nasrullah and Red God. In fact, there is no inbreeding, other than the tenuous Nearco connection, within the first five generations.

Strategic Prince's dam, Ausherra, born in 1988, is by Diesis (Sharpen Up) a full-brother to champion racehorse and successful sire, Kris. Diesis was the winner of five races in Britain, including the Group One Middle Park Stakes and the Group One Dewhurst Stakes. He was pensioned off at Mill Ridge Farm in Kentucky back in April after siring European winners Halling, Magistretti, Docksider, Ramruma (a full-sister to Strategic Prince's dam, Ausherra), Diminuendo, Elmaamul and Three Valleys. In the US, he produced Group One winners Husband, Storm Trooper, Continuously and Rootentootenwooten.

On the racecourse, Ausherra was just beaten by Jaffa Line (High Line) in Goodwood's Group Three Prestige Stakes in 1990 and she finished a well-beaten seventh behind Jet Ski Lady (Vaguely Noble) in the Oaks of 1991, before running a distant third in the Group Three Lancashire Oaks behind Patricia (Assert) and La Sky (Law Society).

She is herself a daughter of the Irish-bred Group Three Musidora Stakes winner Princess Of Man (Green God) who produced ten winners, including Ausherra's full-sister, the outstanding Ramruma, winner of the Oaks, the Irish Oaks and the Yorkshire Oaks, all Group One events. Ramruma was also second in the St Leger of 1999, behind Mutafaweq (Silver Hawk).

Princess of Man, in turn, was out of White Legs, an unraced daughter of Preciptic (Precipitation). White Legs produced 14 foals, seven of which were winners, including Danton (Gulf Pearl), winner of the Listed Coral Newbury Autumn Cup and Melingo (Saulingo), who won the Group Two Texaco Plate and the Listed Stewards' Cup.

Ausherra's most distinguished produce to date has been Yorkshire (Generous), who won the Listed Aston Park Stakes, as well as finishing third to Murghem (Common Grounds) in the Group Two Geoffrey Freer Stakes and a close-up sixth behind Jezabeel (Zabeel) in the Group One Melbourne Cup of 1998. Apart from Yorkshire, she has produced Ascot Handicap winner Riyadh (Caerleon) and seven-time winner Apache Point (Indian Ridge).

Although it remains to be seen whether, like Barathea, Dansili's produce will be capable of getting a mile and a half, the stoutness of his Strategic Prince's damline suggests that he could be in the line-up, if all goes according to plan, to assume the mantle of Sir Percy in 2007. He's a horse to watch with keen interest.